Condition ratings
Does a condition rating on a garage apply to the house?
No. The garage is its own element unless the report has said the defect continues into the house. A rating 3 on a cracked garage roof is about that roof. It does not regrade the main house, and a rating 1 on the house does not mend the garage. Outbuildings are often less fully inspected, especially if they were locked.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
RICS reports rate elements separately so that a bad shed is not disguised by a sound kitchen, and a bad roof is not disguised by a sound shed. Read the limitations. A locked garage marked NI is not rating 1. Level 1 is a more limited look than Level 3, but neither turns an outbuilding into the dwelling by sharing a rating.
If you care about the garage, price the garage. There is no RICS rule that it is thrown in. If the garage is attached and the flat roof joins the house wall, ask whether that junction was included in the house rating or the garage rating. Do not assume. Do not demolish it on a viewing.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Is this rating the garage, the house, or the junction?
- Was the garage opened?
- Does any house defect depend on the outbuilding?
What are the typical next steps?
- Negotiate the garage only if you want it and the defect is real.
- Do not scare yourself out of a house because a shed is tired.
- Do not ignore a junction leak because the house page looked green.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Is a conservatory a garage for this purpose?
No. It is another structure. Give it its own paragraph. Do not copy the garage rating across.
Does NI on the garage mean you should withdraw?
It means you have no opinion on the garage. Withdraw only if that unknown is unacceptable.